Structures and components thereof having a desired surface characteristic together with methods and apparatuses for producing the same

• US 6,146,462 A
• Filed: 05/07/1999
• Issued: 11/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sigma Laboratories Of Arizona LLC
• Original Assignee: Astenjohnson Incorporated (Astenjohnson Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: O'Brien, Timothy D., Decker, Wolfgang, Shipley, Gale, Mikhael, Michael G., Yializis, Angelo, Ellwanger, Richard E., Johnson, C. Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Shrive
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hassanzadeh, Parviz
• Application Number:
  US09/307,078
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 118/718, 118/723 E, 118/723 HC, 118/723 I, 118/729, 118/733, 118/723 FE, 156/345
• US Class Current: 118/718
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/144 of polymeric substrates
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 10/025 Corona discharge or low temperature plasma
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 14/18 using wave energy or particle radiation
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 14/32 Polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32431 Constructional details of the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32596 Hollow cathodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3266 Magnetic control means

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for plasma modifying a substrate are disclosed along with associated techniques for applying coatings to the substrate. Particular utility has been found using a hollow cathode to generate the plasma along with magnetic focusing means to focus the plasma at the surface of a substrate.

Claims

1. An apparatus for plasma treating a textile substrate, the apparatus comprising:

a housing having entry and exit positions, plasma generating and plasma target sides opposite to each other with a substrate receiving channel extending therebetween, and air locks at the entry and exit positions for maintaining vacuum under operating conditions;

a cathode plasma generator comprising a plurality of hollow cathodes mounted on the plasma generating side; and

a plurality of focusing arrays opposite to the plasma generator to focus the plasma across the channel and across a surface of the substrate as it passes through the channel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plasma focusing arrays are located on the plasma target side.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plasma focusing arrays are magnetic.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the focusing arrays comprise an electromagnetic field generator.

5. An apparatus for modifying at least one surface characteristic of a textile substrate, the apparatus comprising:

a housing having entry and exit positions, a plasma generating side, a plasma target side opposite to the plasma generating side, a channel extending therebetween for passing the substrate between the sides of the housing and air locks at the entry and exit positions for maintaining vacuum under operating conditions;

a plasma generator comprising a plurality of hollow cathodes mounted on the plasma generating side;

a plurality of focusing arrays opposite to the plasma generator to focus the plasma across the surface of the substrate to be treated as it passes through the channel; and

means for coating the plasma treated substrate.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the coating means comprises a coating solution bath through which the substrate passes.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the coating means comprises a capillary drip system including:

a coating solution reservoir;

a delivery manifold in communication with the reservoir; and

a plurality of capillary tips for delivering the solution from the manifold to the substrate.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the coating means further comprises:

a roller having a plurality of grooves, equal in number to the plurality of capillary tips for positioning substrate beneath one of the plurality of capillary tips.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising means for curing the coating.